【人生最期の食事を求めて】意志と欲望の相克に埋没するカレー南蛮の悲哀。 : Shibadaimon Sarashina Nunoya

That fleeting tranquility, the tense feeling, the sense of distance from others, the sense of closeness with books and the release of their fragrance...I have always loved libraries. I can't deny that for a time I was so paranoid that I could have been called a ``library fetishist.'' Among them, it can be said that the Tokyo Metropolitan Central Library stands out in some way. There is nothing that evokes a quiet excitement in me like the gently rolling hills, narrow streets, dotted with embassies from all over the world, and the central library sitting in the middle of the vast Arisugawa Memorial Park. I will probably never forget the feeling of finding a rare book among a huge collection, picking it up, sometimes being absorbed in it, sometimes tempted by sleep, and getting lost in the book that caught my attention. Dew. When I left the library after a moment of burying myself, the rain had gotten heavier. A sharp-eyed police officer stood there, soaked in the cold rain. Although the mission was to protect the embassy of a country currently in a state of tension, it seemed somewhat sad. I went down the hill, passed through Roppongi, and found myself at Shiba Park. Strangely, I couldn't find any restaurants like this between the library and Shiba Park. Since it was a Sunday afternoon and it was cold and rainy, there were probably some stores that I missed. In any case, it was almost 3pm, and I was hungry and chilly, so I stopped in front of a soba restaurant that I had been passing by often. Although it was a delicate gap between noon and evening, the store was filled with many customers. A courteous male staff member greeted us. ``Please take a seat at the counter in the middle.'' There was a large square counter seat in the center of the restaurant, and tables were arranged around it, and customers, including families and couples of men and women, were already sipping soba noodles. First, while drinking warm bancha, I was momentarily interested in this month's unusual soba, ``Umekiri Soba'', but my cold body prevented that, so I instinctively ordered ``Curry Nanban Soba'' (950 yen). I informed the correct male staff member. At that point, a small amount of regret began to appear. Isn't the tradition of over 230 years, which was founded in 1791 (Kansei 3), canceled out by Curry Nanban Soba? Moreover, the delicate flavor of Sarashina would be even more so. My will certainly doesn't want curry nanban soba, but my desire certainly wants curry nanban soba. In the dichotomy between will and desire, the will has succumbed to the desire. ``Yes, sorry to have kept you waiting. This is curry nanban soba.'' A tray with a curry flavor came flying in front of me. This is extremely common curry nanban soba. I pulled up the noodles that were buried inside the chicken. It's a golden swirl of curry, nestled in the curry, so simple that any notable features are offset by the curry flavour. My body warmed up before I knew it, and my desire triumphantly pecked at the chicken, mocking my will. Of course, it had a strong curry flavor, but the strong protein of the chicken gave it a different presence among the curry nanban soba. By the time I finished eating, my whole body was completely warmed up. What really struck me about human beings is that their will regains strength as soon as their desires are fulfilled. Next time, I'll order this month's special soba to get a glimpse of what this restaurant is all about. The breath I exhaled outside was turning white. I suddenly realized that tomorrow is February 26th. It is said that snow was falling on that day 88 years ago. I took a deep breath again. That frivolous existence disappeared into the void...